By Will Stos
Drawing upon the spirit of former prime minister Wilfrid Laurier who famously predicted the 20th century would belong to Canada, at the turn of the 21st century Jean Chrétien called Canada “the place to be.”
Although we’re only a few weeks into 2003, here’s a prediction: this year Centretown will be the place to be — at least when it comes to federal politics.
As Chrétien makes his long waltz to retirement, Parliament’s backyard has been buzzing with backroom politicking, wild rumours and endless speculation from reporters.
It seems that a lot of people are eyeing the Ottawa Centre riding — currently represented by perennial Senate-hopeful Mac Harb — including several possible parachute candidates currently living outside Ottawa.
These parachute candidates, usually high-profile politicians looking for a way to enter Parliament before the next general election, could make a by-election particularly exciting for politicos but problematic for local residents hoping for a strong local voice in Parliament.
During Parliament’s break, some reporters on the Hill guessed that a cabinet shuffle and some subsequent government appointments of former ministers and caucus members loyal to Chrétien — including Harb — would likely be completed before the upcoming budget.
Globe and Mail columnist Jane Taber suggests that the names of two high-profile candidates might also appear on the ballot for a byelection.
Taber reports that Toronto city councillor Jack Layton may take a run at the seat in order to get into the House of Commons as soon as possible if he wins the NDP leadership. She also says former Saskatchewan premier Roy Romanow may be named health minister in a cabinet shuffle to carry out the recommendations he made in the recent royal commission on the future of health care.
These rumours might seem a bit far-fetched since Layton doesn’t have a very large profile outside of Toronto and Romanow reportedly declined an offer to run federally for the Liberals before the last general election; but they shouldn’t be dismissed out of hand.
Taber has speculated Chrétien would much rather have a friendly Liberal candidate in place in the riding or even permit Layton to run unopposed than give a Martin-supporter a chance to win the nomination.
If either of these rumours is true, Centretown residents will be asked to make an interesting choice at the ballot box.
A high-profile member of Parliament representing Centretown and surrounding areas — whether a cabinet minister or the leader of an opposition party — could give the riding a lot of publicity and a strong voice for local projects and interest.
But there are several drawbacks.
Parachute candidates are often unfamiliar with their chosen constituency, its inhabitants and, most importantly, its pressing issues.
Can a member of Parliament be an effective voice for a neighbourhood if they need to consult a map when driving through it?
Even in the run-up to a by-election it’s doubtful a candidate who has not lived here for an extended period of time could gain appreciable insight into the community’s needs to be an effective MP.
Moreover, if the candidate was named to a top cabinet position or became the leader of an opposition party attempting to make big gains in the next election, there’s little doubt he would find himself preoccupied with other matters.
Both Romanow and Layton have proven themselves able politicians; something voters should keep in mind if they see either name on a ballot in the next few months.
But we should also ask ourselves which candidate is most familiar with our riding and which candidate will best keep local interests in mind when in Parliament.
There is certainly no shortage of able politicians in the nation’s capital who would be much more familiar with the riding’s streets, business and demographics.
In 2003, Centretown is certainly the place to be. But in terms of strong candidates for Parliament, it should also be the place to stay and not simply a stepping-stone to bigger and better things.